A warm muggy morning saw the "peleton" leave Glen Shiel campsite at 09.25, Spyke with Nigel,Jim and at the front super" domestique" Steve Parker heading for the vertical tarmac of the Ratagan Pass. You know when Spyke admits he is not looking forward to something that it must be pretty grim, this was a certainly the case at Ratagan as bodies, and machines ground to walking pace on the road even Parker was reduced to walking. All good( for those of us watching) things come to an end, following a few more undulations, the foot of yet more vertical land was reached, this time the surface was a grotty mix of grass, heather, boulders and bog a typical Spyke route. In a moment of madness I decided to accompany Al up the slope. Al struggled with the awful going, our hero legged it into the clouds, yours truly gave up about two thirds of the way and returned to the van, but I was not alone!!! more later.
The cyclists had been entertained at the local tea shop by the charismatic provider of sustanence, Jim and Nigel returned to Glen Shiel, leaving Steve P. with the pacing duties back to the foot of The Saddle. This was reached at 16.00 and Spyke "nipped" off to complete the South side of Cluanie by 20.15, a quick bike ride then off to join the gang in the pub for food and a half pint.
Here Spyke demonstrated his versatility entertaining a group of somewhat awestruck walkers with understated tales of the trip so far, we were back in the van when he said" I think I have a tick", then started the game of "tick pick". I am pretty sure I have removed most of the little buggars, but our hero could be carrying a couple of unwanted passengers to the top of Bla Bheinn as I write.
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